During the past two decades, Shelly Finkel has managed more world champions than anyone else in the sport of boxing. Finkel, who heads the Shelly Finkel Management firm, is best known as the de facto manager and promoter of Mike Tyson, but his role as manager and advisor to Mike McCallum, Michael Moorer, Johnny Bumphus, Vinny Pazienza, Evander Holyfield, Pernell Whitaker, Mark Breland, and Meldrick Taylor as well as the best of America's 1984 Olympic boxing team is considered the cornerstone of his career.

Shell Finkel inducted into the

2010 International Boxing Hall of Fame

Photos and report by Boxing Bob Newman
Early June in upstate New York means many things-rain and sunshine, lush, green fields, both warm and cool temperatures. On this second weekend of the month, all this was seen during the one sure thing a boxing fan can count on at this time in this place-The International Boxing Hall of Fame induction weekend in Canastota, New York. This year brought the twenty first edition of the event-seven living inductees, thirteen in all, and a passionate crowd of fans, family members and friends to pay homage to those who have dedicated their careers and lives to the “Sweet Science.”

IBHOF president Don Ackerman then presented the 2010 living inductees

"Shelley Finkel (Born 1944) Finkel began as a rock-n-roll manager and promoter later moved on to promoting amateur bouts. He started out working with contender Alex Ramos, and moved on to sign to professional contracts Pernell Whitaker, Evander Holyfield, Meldrick Taylor, Tyrell Biggs, Mark Breland, and advised the likes of Mike Tyson and the brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko."
“I want to thank some people who are not with us today, but were instrumental in my growth in the sport- Ray Arcel, Jim Jacobs, Dan Duva and Joey Fariello. Joey told me, ‘In life as in boxing, the most important thing is character. At some point in life, you’re gonna be tested. Always go with the person who has character, he’ll come out on top.’”